American University’s School of Communication has a distinguished history of accomplishments in social change, social justice, political communication, and advocacy.

Here you will learn how to focus your passion for positive social change and political causes with communication techniques that engage audiences and encourage real action.

In the Advocacy and Social Impact concentration of the online Master’s in Strategic Communication program, you will delve into courses that focus on social marketing to achieve behavior change, grassroots and digital advocacy, political communication, and ethics.

This unique concentration emphasizes high-level communication principles and techniques to create change at the individual, community, and public-policy levels so you can engage, influence, and mobilize people for action.

Skills and Knowledge in the Advocacy and Social Impact Concentration

• The theory behind behavior change
• Knowledge of communication theory and its applications in social marketing
• Strong digital organizing and social media skills
• Messaging strategies to create change and action around social or political causes

By Graduation You Will Be Able To:

• Create and manage dynamic communication campaigns
• Develop effective communication plans using qualitative and quantitative research
• Think analytically about communication problems and develop creative solutions
• Write clearly and strategically across media channels, including social and digital
• Understand how channels differ and how to use each one effectively
• Use digital strategy and technology tools adeptly in integrated communication campaigns
• Focus on tactics to engage and mobilize audiences to achieve positive social change

Communication Careers in Advocacy

Many of our MA in Strategic Communication students want to dedicate their careers to improving the lives of others by working for social causes and issues they are passionate about.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, rates of employment in public relations and marketing communications-oriented jobs are increasing at a faster-than-average rate, with yearly median wages above six figures.^1,2

Graduates may have titles similar to other areas of strategic communication while working for government agencies and nonprofit organizations such as foundations, associations, and advocacy groups:

• Campaign Manager
• Director of Communications
• Media Outreach Coordinator
• Media Relations Manager
• Public Relations Consultant
• Publicist

Employers today are looking for communication professionals who know how to use digital strategy and analytics as part of integrated communication campaigns.

Through your concentration courses, you will learn the theory and strategy of digital and social media measurement, as well as how to use Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to identify strategic insights, how to evaluate the success or failure of a campaign, and more.

In addition to a strong core curriculum in strategic communication, you will gain hands-on experience in social and web analytics tools, so you get the skills necessary to sit for certification exams for platforms like Meltwater, Google Analytics, and Google Ads.

By the end of the Digital Communication Strategies and Analytics concentration, you will learn to capitalize on the full range of paid, earned, shared, and owned media channels.

Skills and Knowledge in the Digital Communication Strategies and Analytics Concentration

• The latest digital and social media strategies and tactics with traditional methods
• Metrics to track and evaluate campaign performance
• Quantitative and qualitative research to define content, purpose, and target audience

By Graduation You Will Be Able To:

• Plan and manage strategic communication campaigns that fully capitalize on and integrate paid, earned, shared, and owned channels (PESO)
• Use qualitative and quantitative research in developing and evaluating communication plans
• Familiarize yourself with certifications in commonly used digital analytics tools and techniques employed by strategic communication professionals
• Leverage digital marketing and advertising techniques, such as search engine optimization (SEO), search engine marketing (SEM), and display advertising
• Use digital advocacy strategies and organizing tools to support candidates, causes, and social movements
• Develop creative solutions to communication problems through analytical thought processes
• Provide expertise in social media management and content creation

Communication Careers in Digital Communication

Organizations in every industry are looking for communicators who can strategically achieve campaign objectives based on audience insights using a wide range of digital communication platforms and tools.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, advertising, promotion, and marketing employment is projected to grow by 10% from 2021 through 2031, with professionals making a median annual salary of $133,380.³

Digital communication strategies and analytics graduates are prepared for career titles that include:

• Content Strategist
• Digital Advocacy Campaign Manager
• Digital Analyst
• Digital Analytics Manager
• Digital Marketing Specialist
• Digital Strategy Director
• Director of Digital Public Affairs and Advocacy
• Director of Web Content Strategy
• Social Media Manager
• Social Media Analyst

Our faculty have worked with major PR firms, government agencies, and global corporations. They bring that experience into the classroom to expand your learning experience and help you reach your career goals.

Adjunct faculty, guest lecturers, and alumni include top speechwriters, press secretaries, media strategists, Hollywood agents, public diplomacy experts, and advertising and PR executives. Our distinguished full-time faculty includes scholars and practitioners in the field who are ready to share their knowledge and real-world expertise.

Within the program, you can earn industry-recognized certifications in

• Meltwater
  • Once you are certified, you have the unique opportunity to gain access to Meltwater’s dashboard which is used by many strategic communication professionals to help analyze conversations, follow trends, and build brand value.
• Hootsuite
  • You will have free access to Hootsuite Academy’s courseware for the Hootsuite platform, Which includes, but is not limited to:
    • Hootsuite Platform Certification ($99 value)
    • Social Marketing Course ($199 value)
    • Social Marketing Certification ($199 value)
       
• Google Analytics
  • Gain an understanding of how to effectively read website data and report on what your audience finds valuable.

Over the course of this master’s program, you will:

• Create strategic communication campaigns
• Develop a professional writing portfolio with traditional and digital media samples
• Use quantitative and qualitative research to define content, purpose, and target audience
• Tell compelling stories through creative messaging and understanding the key factors in persuasive communication
• Learn to integrate digital and social media strategies and tactics with traditional methods
• Use metrics to track and evaluate campaign performance
• Understand and explore international approaches to communication, including public diplomacy and cross-cultural communication
• Examine crisis communication messaging and decision-making